Fire alarm



March 1955 P. J. SUMERAK 2,703,545

' FIRE ALARM Filed April 15, 1954 Fig.

saw-m" Paul J .Sumeralr INVENTOR.

BY WM 13 arfi United States Patent 6) Paul Ji' 'Su'merak, Reno, 'Nevl'Application April 15,"1954,S'erial No. 423,289-

' ,4 claims. (Cl. 115-106 This inyjentionrelates to a class ofjfire'alarms having audible signals for indicating that a dangerous conditioneXlStS. ."Y-

The primary object of .thi s-invention resides in the provision of *afire alarm" which includes'a tank which can be. ,easily. charged..with..compressedfair or l. gas and having. signal devices associated,therewith whichflwhen subjected to excessive heat, will, because of themelting of a fusible plug, permit the compressed air to pass from thetank and actuate a whistle.

A further important object of this invention resides in the provision ofmeans for indicating that the fire alarm has been actuated whichincludes a plurality of'paper chips which are supported within the soundchamber of the fire alarm in such manner that they will be lifted offtheir supporting shoulder and blown outwardly of 'an outlet opening inthe sound chamber when the compressed air from the tank is permitted topass out of the orifice and into the sound chamber for actuating thewhistle forming the audible signal.

Still further objects and features of this invention resides in theprovision of a fire alarm that is strongand durable, simple inconstruction and manufacture, which can be easily recharged at anyconvenient time using the compressed air generators usually available atmost filling stations, and which is inexpensive to construct, therebypermitting wide distribution.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of theinvention which will become apparent as the following descriptionproceeds, are attained by this fire alarm, a preferred embodiment ofwhich has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings by way ofexample only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the fire alarm comprising thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating theconstruction of the signal device utilized in conjunction with the firealarm; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the signal device.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,the reference numeral generally designates the fire alarm comprising thepresent invention which includes a tank 12 of any convenient shape andsize having a pair of fittings 14 secured thereto. It is to berecognized that any suitable number of fittings 14 can be utilized.

The fittings 14 include pneumatic valves 16 similar to those used onconventional pneumatic tires. Thus, the tank 12 can readily be filledwith compressed air by merely taking the tank 12 to any convenientfilling station and using the conventional air compressor usuallyavailable at such filling station.

The fitting 14 is preferably externally threaded for threaded receptionof the internally threaded gas chamber 18 which is integrally formedwith the sound chamber 20 of the signal device 22. It is to be notedthat an end wall 24 interconnects the gas chamber 18 and the soundchamber 20. A resilient gasket 26 may be positioned between the shoulder28 of the air chamber 18 and the outer edge of the fitting 14.

Slidably positioned within the air chamber 18 is a plunger rod 30 whichhas a handle 32 for operating the rod 30. The rod 30 is adapted to bemoved into position so as to depress the stem of the valve 16 and may befrictionally held in position by a slight sliding engagement with theperipheral walls of the air chamber 18 at the ice aperture 34 throughwhich. the rod 30 extends. It is to be readily recognized that it iswithin the concept of this invention to thread the rod30 as ,well as thewallsfiof the air chamber .18 so that the plunger rod,30 maybe threadsedlyj advanced into engagement with the valve stem of the valve 16 if itis not desired to use the frictional engagement between theplunger rod30,:and the walls of the air chamber 18 to hold the ,valve' stem ofthevalve 16 in a continuously depressed positionso' that the compressed airwithin thetank 1.2 can be applied upon the fusible plug 36,.iclosing theorifice 38 in communication with the fitting 14., The sound box 20 hasan inlet opening .40 in alignment, with the orifice 38 which is oftapered construction and communicates with passageway 42 formed in the,sound box 20 in such manner as to direct'the flow of compressedairagainstthe offset edge of the sound 150x20 which forms a baffie sothat a'large portion of the. compressedair is-directed into the centralportions of the sound box 20 with considerable turbulence soias to causethe soundch'amber to reverberate. This forms a ,Whistle1which'is,;-of,,cou' rse, 'accentuatedjbyfthe passage of other air outwardlythrough the opening 46. It is to be noted that the sound chamber 20 isformed with an outlet opening 48 in the bottom Wall thereof and thebottom wall 50 forms a supporting shoulder 52 for a plurality of paperchips 54 or like substances which are disposed on the shoulder 52 sothat when the compressed air is applied on the sound chamber 20, thepaper chips will be lifted off the shoulder 52 and due to the turbulencethereof will be pushed through the opening 48. This will provide animmediate indication that the fusible plug 36, which may be of variousshapes and which, in some forms of the invention, may not be readilyperceivable, has been melted, thereby informing the user of thisapparatus that the tank 12 must be recharged and a new plug 36 utilized.

It is to be recognized that the fusible plug 36 may be made out of anysuitable substance such as a low melting point metal, wax, parai'fin, orthe like, and in lieu of paper chips 54 other suitable materials may beused.

Utilizing the pin 30 and handle 32, and with the plug 36 removed, thenozzle formed by orifice 38 can be utilized to inflate beach balls, andthe like.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Whatis claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, at least one valvedfitting secured to said tank, a signal device detachably secured to saidfitting, means carried by said signal device for actuating the valve ofsaid fitting, said signal device including an orifice in communicationwith said valve, a fusible plug closing said orifice, and a soundchamber, said sound chamber having an inlet opening therein in alignmentwith said orifice, said sound chamber having an outlet openingtherethrough, a supporting shoulder adjacent said outlet opening, and aplurality of paper chips supported on said shoulder, said paper chipsbeing adapted to be blown off said shoulder and through said outletopening when the fusible plug is fused to permit the compressed gas topass through said orifice and into said inlet opening.

2. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, at least one valvedfitting secured to said tank, a signal device detachably secured to saidfitting, means carried by said signal device for actuating the valve ofsaid fitting, said signal device including an orifice in communicationwith said valve, a fusible plug closing said orifice, and a soundchamber, said sound chamber having an inlet opening therein in alignmentwith said orifice, said means including a rod slidably mounted in saidsignal device adapted to engage and depress said valve to permit saidcompressed air to enter said signal device and to apply pressure againstsaid fusible plug after said signal device has been secured to saidfitting, said sound chamber having an outlet opening therethrough, asupporting shoulder 3 adjacent said outlet opening, and a plurality ofpaper chips supported on said shoulder, said paper chips being adaptedto be blown off said shoulder and through said outlet opening when thefusible plug is fused to permit the compressed gas to pass through saidorifice and into said inlet opening.

3. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, at least one valvedfitting secured to said tank, a signal device detachably secured to saidfitting, said signal device including a gas chamber and a sound chamberintegrally formed therewith, means carried by said signal device andextending through said gas chamber for actuating the valve of saidfitting, said gas-chamber having an orifice in communication with saidvalve, a fusible plug closing said orifice, said sound chamber having aninlet opening therein in alignment with said orifice, said sound chamberhaving an outlet opening therethrough, a supporting shoulder adjacentsaid outlet opening, and a plurality of paper chips supported on saidshoulder, said paper chips being adapted to be blown off said shoulderand through said outlet opening when the fusible plug is fused to permitthe compressed gas to pass through said orifice and into said inletopening.

4. A fire alarm comprising a tank of compressed gas, r

at least one valved fitting secured to said tank, a signal devicedetachably secured to said fitting, said signal device including a gaschamber and a sound chamber integrally formed therewith, means carriedby said signal device and extending through said gas chamber foractuating the valve of said fitting, said gas chamber having an orificein communication with said valve, a fusible plug closing said orifice,said sound chamber having an inlet opening therein in alignment withsaid orifice, said sound chamber having an outlet opening therethrough,a suporting shoulder adjacent said outlet'opening, and a plurality ofpaper chips supported on said shoulder, said paper chips being adaptedto be blown off said shoulder and through said outlet opening when thefusible plug is fused to permit the compressed gas to pass through saidorifice and into said inlet opening, said means including a rod slidablymounted in said signal device adapted to engage and depress said valveto permit said compressed air to enter said signal device and to applypressure against said fusible plug after said signal device has beensecured to said fitting.

Franklin Mar. 17, 1936 Showstack Aug. 25, 1953

